At its meeting July 16 the Oconee County Board of Education recognized Annabel McSpadden for her first place win in the state 10th grade category of the Young Georgia Authors writing competition.

Annabel credits her fourth-grade teacher for encouraging her students to write for fun. Building on that encouragement were NOHS teachers Stacey Casey and Cynthia Moore, who urged her to enter writing competitions, according to the school board's website.

Annabel, a rising junior at North Oconee High School, also  won $500 for first place in a Western poetry contest held at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville last school year.